No electronics recycling

Schuylkill commissioners announced the county will not take electronics in the annual fall cleanup next month in light of an anticipated $187,000 cost.Last fall, the county collected 576,000 pounds of electronics free of charge.Zika testing requiredThe federal government told all U.S. blood banks last week to start screening for Zika, a major expansion intended to protect the nation's blood supply from the mosquito-borne virus.Previously, blood testing was mostly limited to parts of Florida and Puerto Rico, where Zika is spreading. Screening will initially extend to states along the Gulf Coast and a few others.Blood banks already test donations for HIV, hepatitis, West Nile and other blood-borne viruses. The Zika virus stays in the blood for about one week, but is thought to remain in other bodily fluids longer.Assessment reductions hurtA court stipulation that reduces a business's assessed value by nearly $11 million is costing Carbon County $110,000 in tax revenue.The commissioners voted to refund Stabilis Split Rock JV LLC of Lake Harmony $110,588.23 based on a reduction of assessments on three properties from $16,222,935 to $5,433,840.As a result of the lower assessment, the Jim Thorpe Area School District will lose approximately $475,000; Weatherly School District will lose approximately $38,000; and Kidder Township is expected to lose $60,900.School project on scheduleA heating, ventilation and air conditioning project at Palmerton High School is wrapping up just in time for the return of students.Tim Sisock, project manager with Barry Isett and Associates, said classrooms and corridors are buttoned up and new ceilings, lighting and all unit ventilators are in place.The renovation took place over the summer.The district awarded three contracts totaling $8.6 million for the project to Midline Mechanical, CMG of Easton and Ace Electric.Winning ticket to expireA Pennsylvania Lottery Cash4Life ticket worth $1,000 a week for life, or a cash prize of $1 million, will expire if not claimed by Sept. 14.The winning ticket was sold by Price Chopper, 4551 Milford Road, East Stroudsburg, for the Sept. 14, 2015, drawing.It correctly matched all five balls drawn, 03-07-14-19-25, but not the green Cash Ball, 02, to win an annuity prize valued at $1,000 a week ($52,000 a year) for life or a cash prize of $1 million, less applicable tax withholding.Church demolition continuesDemolition resumed this week at the former St. Ann's Catholic Church in Lansford.Crews reduced the church's bell tower to a pile of rubble, signaling the end for the century old church.The work was ordered by the Diocese of Allentown in the aftermath of church consolidations due to the shortage of priests and the expenses required to maintain separate churches.